The invention relates to roller belt arrangements for track-type vehicles, especially for snowmobiles, with one or more parallel extending, pull-resistant belts to which are connected transversely extending drive members with the aid of screw bolts extending through the belts and the head portion of the drive members. The screw bolts furthermore penetrate U-shaped members positioned opposite the drive members on the other side of the belt whereby the drive member attachment includes a cushion member comprised of rubber or a rubber-like material (elastomer) with bores for allowing penetration of the screw bolts.
In known roller belt arrangements of this kind, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,462,495, the cushion member comprised of rubber or a rubber-like material is arranged at the ends of the screw bolts connected to the drive member. In this embodiment, the drive members are profiled steel members with a U-shaped head portion and the cushion member is arranged between the legs of the U-shaped head portion. The screw bolt is threaded into threaded bores of a bar that pushes the cushion member against the stay.
The cushion member in such arrangements can be mounted in a simple manner only in open profiled members such as a U-shaped profiled member. However, for reasons of stability it is more advantageous to use drive members with closed profiled members. Closed profiled members can be manufactured in a more light-weight construction than open profiled members while providing a greater stability so that the risk of being bent or broken off during operation of the roller belt arrangement is reduced.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve a roller belt arrangement of the aforementioned kind such that an excellent elastic securing and easy mountability especially for a drive member with a hollow head portion can be achieved.